Hilltop Students Featured in Exhibition at Vetri International Glass

New Generation of glass artists make their debut

Opening Reception: Saturday, November 15, 4 - 7 pm
Exhibition Runs: November 15, 2008 - February 8, 2009

Vetri International Glass in Tacoma is pleased to present a special exhibition showcasing the work of three promising young artists from the Hilltop Artists in Residence Tacoma (HART) program. The show will be on display from November 15, 2008 - February 8, 2009, with an opening reception on Saturday, November 15 from 4 - 7 pm.

Vetri International Glass and the Hilltop Artists in Residence have teamed up to provide the Hilltop students an experience with the business side of the art world — a subject often overlooked in arts education programs. After meeting with gallery representatives Sarah Traver and Rosie Daniel, the students were asked to send portfolios to the gallery proposing an exhibition of their work, an intimidating process for artists at any stage in their career. Trenton Quiocho, Gnoulim Ninhnapah, and Jake Merritt, who work together as glassblowers on the HART production team, were selected to be featured in this season’s exhibition.

Trenton Quiocho came to the program at the age of fifteen. Now seventeen he has assisted the glassblowing team at the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, WA, competed in the annual Twisty Cup Pro Am competition at M Space, and become a member of the production team at HART. Inspired by his father’s love of fixing old volkeswagons, Quiocho embraces the focus and care it takes to be a skilled glassblower and successful artist. He says of glassblowing, “…it’s not what you can make but what you can fix.” His work incorporates bold color combinations and sleek forms referencing the classic style of the Italian masters.

Self-proclaimed “beader” Gnoulim Ninhnapah is the first flameworker from HART to be featured at Vetri. Her beautiful, highly detailed glass beads exhibit her uniquely sensitive approach. After watching her older brother complete the Hilltop program, Ninhnapah was drawn to working with glass and exploring its possiblities within the medium. Seeing glass as a canvas, she strives to create each of her beads with a sense of wonder and grace. A student at HART since age thirteen, Ninhnapah has worked on several important commissions and participated in technical demonstrations at the Museum of Glass and the Indianapolis Children’s Museum of Art.

The third artist exhibiting at Vetri is Jake Merritt, a recent graduate who has worked in glass for the past year. Merritt found an anchor for his passion in the arts and excelled in the program. Now on the production team at HART as well as two reputable Tacoma glass studios — M Space and Tacoma Glassblowing Studio — he has all but completely filled his time with glass. His enthusiasm is apparent in his constant drive to learn, experiment, and push himself as an artist. Merritt’s pieces are characterized by his use of simple, refined forms to emphasize the intricate cane design consistent in his work.

About HART:

Established in 1994, Hilltop Artists in Residence Tacoma is a glass arts program that provides individualized instruction for students who may be struggling academically, socially and/or behaviorally. Through the program, young people have an opportunity to learn the art of glass blowing, mosaics, fused glass and beadwork. Hilltop reaches out to disadvantaged, disenfranchised youth who are dealing with high risk factors: poverty, neglect, homelessness, substance abuse, and violence.

About Vetri:

William Traver opened Vetri International Glass more than ten years ago with the intention of making the abundance of innovative, high quality glass work being done in the Seattle area available to a broad audience.

Dedicated to supporting artists early in their careers, Vetri features one-of-a-kind work by emerging artists, while also offering a great selection of gifts and functional objects. Vetri artists are selected based on their technical ability, the originality of their designs, and their passion for art and for glass. Many of them go on to show at the respected Traver Gallery, launching their careers on a national level. Vetri opened its Tacoma location in the historic Albers Mill building on the Thea Foss Waterway nearly 5 years ago, just outside the Museum of Glass.

Vetri International Glass | www.vetriglass.com | (253) 383-3692 | 1821 E. Dock Street #101 | Tacoma | WA | 98402